Imagine if, on Halloween, a little costumed character outside your front door thanked you for the candy and then said, “Now I have a treat for you!” and handed you some chocolate in return. Children from the Sunday School classes at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in New Rochelle have "reverse trick-or-treating"—and educating their community about the importance of fair trade—for the past five years.

A boardwalk pavilion at Sunken Meadow State Park on the north shore of Long Island is the site for a unique summer Bible study that draws members from numerous congregations of the Metropolitan New York Synod. The Beach Bible Study began in 2001, and recently expanded to invite leaders and participants from the Western Suffolk Conference.

Being role models in abiding with God and each other in Christian community is a great gift leaders give to our over-productive world as we engage in mission with that world. The annual Bishop’s Retreat is one occasion when pastors can just be.

Leaders throughout the synod gathered recently to receive a preliminary assessment from our consultants for the synod’s pilot project in the Bronx. The presentation seeks to address a simple question: “How can we remove the obstacles that prevent us from reaching more people who need to hear the gospel of Christ?”

Nestled in the Adirondack Mountains, this is a joint program of the Metro New York and Upstate New York Synods of the ELCA. The conference features worship, morning courses, and activities such as boating, hiking, swimming, crafts, softball, tennis, and yoga for all ages.

In the face of a significantly diminished congregation and a building that would require $10 million to stabilize, St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Brooklyn closed recently. Plans are already underway to maintain a ministry presence in the Clinton Hill community.